Inc413 founder to judge opening round of $1M Hult Prize

Inc413 founder to judge opening round of $1M Hult Prize

RELEASED: NOVEMBER 12, 2024 Amherst, MA – 

Western Massachusetts Digital Marketing Expert Named Judge for Prestigious Hult Prize

The Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst has selected Fungai Tichawangana, the founder of Artist Dynamix and Inc413, to serve as a judge for the Hult Prize, one of the most prestigious global competitions for social entrepreneurship.

Elevating social entrepreneurship on a global stage

The Hult Prize, often called the “Nobel Prize for Students,” challenges university students from across the globe to design innovative and scalable solutions to pressing social issues. The the 2024-25 prize, teams have been asked to create a for-profit social venture that will have a measurable impact on people and/or the planet and meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Judges play a critical role in evaluating submissions, mentoring participants, and helping identify ideas with the potential to create lasting global impact.

UMass Amherst is one of over 2,000 campuses around the world that run the Hult Prize OnCampus Program.

The road to the $1M prize

The Hult Prize competition unfolds in several stages:

  • Stage 1: Qualifiers (November – February): Students begin by participating in local competitions through the OnCampus Program or via an open online application.
  • Stage 2: Nationals (March – May): Winners from local events and top startups from the open application advance to national events or equivalent online selection processes.
  • Stage 3: Digital Incubator (June – July): Leading startups refine their ideas, validate product-market fit, develop proof of concepts, and establish go-to-market strategies with access to online workshops and mentorship from social entrepreneurs and industry experts.
  • Stage 4: Global Accelerator (August): Top startups attend the Hult Prize Global Accelerator at Ashridge House near London, engaging in an immersive program to enhance business strategies, expand networks, and scale impact through expert mentorship, interactive workshops, and investor pitch opportunities.
  • Stage 5: Global Finals (September): Six teams present their social ventures to a panel of distinguished judges, competing for the US $1,000,000 Hult Prize to launch their enterprises.

Bringing a lifetime of expertise to the Hult Prize

As the founder of Artist Dynamix, a digital marketing agency that blends creativity with business strategy, and Inc413, a hub for entrepreneurial resources in Western Massachusetts, Tichawangana has built a career on helping other businesses and creative entrepreneurs thrive.

“Being invited to serve as a judge for the Hult Prize is an honor I deeply cherish,” said Tichawangana. “This competition represents the best of what young minds can achieve when creativity meets entrepreneurial purpose, and I’m thrilled to be part of the process that supports these transformative ideas.”

Tichawangana will join the Founder and CEO of Impact Entrepreneur, Laurie Lane-Zucker, and Associate Director of Energy, Sustainability & Infrastructure at Guidehouse, Matthew Banks to judge the first stage of the prize at the UMass Amherst campus.

The Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship is dedicated to advancing innovation and entrepreneurial thinking through education, mentorship, and community engagement. Its efforts provide a platform for students and entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into impactful ventures.